eBay To Pay Nearly $50 Million Over Harassment Campaign
eBay agrees to pay $48.7 million to bloggers David and Ina Steiner after former employees targeted them with a bizarre cyberstalking and harassment campaign.
People walking outside the eBay headquarters in San Jose, California
Bizarre Harassment Campaign And Lawsuit
Former eBay employees targeted David and Ina Steiner because they disliked the couple's reporting. The perpetrators sent live cockroaches, spiders, and a preserved fetal pig to their home.
The campaign also included a funeral wreath and a bloody pig Halloween mask. The Lawsuit stated that employees subjected the bloggers to Cyberstalking and death threats.
Ina Steiner stated, "I could not conceive that a company I had been covering for the past two decades had tried to terrorize us into stopping our reporting."
Financial Settlement And Terms
The Settlement requires eBay to pay $46.15 million directly to the couple. Former CEO Devin Wenig, former executive Wendy Jones, and former executive Steve Wymer contributed the remaining funds.
The company will also fund $6 million in charitable donations. Wenig will contribute an additional $1 million to a charity protecting First Amendment rights.
The couple deliberately ensured the Settlement had no confidentiality provisions. Ina Steiner said, "David and I were on the same page that this Settlement should and must be made public."
Company Response And Apologies
eBay acknowledged the unprofessional tone in internal communications by former executives. The firm condemned the misconduct of the employees who pleaded guilty to criminal charges.
The company stated that the actions against the Steiners were wrong and reprehensible. Officials added that the agreement fulfills their commitment to make things right.
Former CEO Devin Wenig denied prior knowledge of the Harassment scheme. Wenig stated, "The Harassment was deliberately done in secret and without my knowledge."
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